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Maniacs vs. Sharkiat
Don't Climb the Pyramids is the slinky fusion of an electric trio and seven traditional Egyptian musicians, ten dusky songs recorded in a Cairo studio. The result is pure, rocking, beautiful pop bliss. This falls somewhere between the grungy dynamism of Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots, backed by the kind of percussive thrust that made Page and Plant's Unplugged project such an enormous delight. The Maniacs' Alain Croubalian delivers his vocals richly, clearly savouring his words; the break-up song "Pic Nic" doubles back on itself lyrically, reaching dizzying heights of drumming and chanting in a final play of exhaustive emotion. Other songs freely mine the rock 'n' roll tradition, the electric guitars sometimes sounding like desert surf music. Elsewhere, the longing of "Josephine" and the distortion on "Time Exploring Machine" are pure swagger. Throw in some accordion runs, the slow grind of "Cairo Lullaby," and some grand vocal exuberance from all involved in this project, and you've got one of the wildest, sexiest, enigmatic world music throwdowns in ages. That Don't Climb the Pyramids has apparently languished in obscurity for four years is nothing short of criminal. - Lee Blackstone
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